1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to low-profile durable mounting clips for receiving and supporting personal devices (such as personal electronic devices) and, in particular embodiments, to low-profile mounting clips for inconspicuously holding a personal electronic device such as, but not limited to, an infusion device, a medical monitor or other medical device, in a concealed location by attaching the mounting clip to an article of clothing.
2. Description of Related Art
Various personal devices (such as personal electronic devices) are available that are conveniently adapted to be supported by a mounting clip attached to a user's belt or other article of clothing. Examples of such personal devices include mobile phones, pagers, PDAs, as well as medical devices such as medication infusion pumps and medical monitors. The personal devices are typically adapted for mounting onto a patient's waistband, belt, pocket seam or other suitable clothing item, by using a conventional spring-legged belt clip. In this regard, such mounting clips have typically been designed for connection to the housing of the personal devices (such as personal electronic devices), and for clip-on installation onto the patient's clothing.
FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a spring-legged mounting clip connected to an electronic device. FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a personal medical device, which in this example is a Minimed 506 medication infusion pump. FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of medication infusion pump 10 for delivering or dispensing a prescribed medication to a patient. The medication infusion pump 10 includes a housing 12 enclosing the pump and its associated components. A mounting clip 14 is removably secured to one side of medication infusion pump 10, as shown. The mounting clip 14 shown in FIG. 1A is a unitary part molded in the general shape of an over-bent “U” from a material such as polypropylene. The mounting clip 14 incorporates an elastic living hinge to provide the spring force necessary for expanding and retracting the leg of the U-shaped mounting clip 14 for attachment of the electronic device (such as medication infusion pump 10) to an article of clothing.
FIG. 1B illustrates a perspective view of the medication infusion pump 10 shown in FIG. 1A with the mounting clip 14 separated from the housing 12 in order to show a conventional structure for connecting the mounting clip 14 to the housing 12. As shown in FIG. 1B, included on the housing 12 is a dovetail groove 16 designed for slide-fit reception of a matingly shaped corresponding dovetail boss 18 included on the mounting clip 14. The dovetail groove 16 and mating dovetail boss 18 permit manual slide-on attachment and slide-off removal of mounting clip 14.
FIG. 1C shows dovetail boss 18 in more detail. From FIG. 1C it can be seen that dovetail boss 18 has essentially a wedge shape including a base 11 and two sides 13, 15 extending from the base at essentially symmetrical angles to contact the body of one leg of mounting clip 14. The points of contact between sides 13, 15 of the dovetail boss 18 and mounting clip 14 as they extend transversely across one leg of mounting clip 14 define a flex point 17 of width “w.” Flex point 17 thus essentially acts like a pivot pin about the axis of which the mounting clip 14 and housing 12 move in relation to each other. Other mounting clip designs may have a groove and mating boss having a generally rectangular shape where the walls of the boss extend upward at essentially 90 degree angles. In that case, the points of contact between the sides of the rectangular boss and the mounting clip may similarly define a flex point that acts like a pivot pin. In either of these configurations, stresses applied to the mounting clip and/or housing are concentrated at the flex point.
Materials used in conventional mounting clip structures are selected to have a suitable elasticity to provide the spring force required for securing the electronic device (such as medication infusion pump 10) to an article of clothing. In addition, selected materials are employed to avoid heat related deformation and stress relaxation. If such materials are not employed, the initial shape of the mounting clip may be compromised. This is illustrated in FIG. 2, where the mounting clip 14, 14′ attached to housing 12 is shown with an initial spring force (shown by solid lines) and a compromised spring force (shown in phantom lines) due to stress relaxation that might occur if suitable materials were not used. Once the spring force has been compromised, secure attachment to an article of clothing may be more difficult to achieve.
Some mounting clips employing the dovetail boss/groove configuration are susceptible to inadvertent separation from the personal device. This may occur, for example, when the mounting clip is designed such that only the friction between the dovetail boss and groove maintains the mounting clip on the personal device. A transverse force contacting the personal device in a direction opposite to that of the direction of slide-on mounting of the dovetail boss into the dovetail groove may cause the personal device to inadvertently partially or fully separate from the mounting clip. Furthermore, a force applied in a direction perpendicular to that of the direction of slide-on mounting of the dovetail boss into the dovetail groove and away from the article of clothing may significantly stress the flex point.
Other mounting clip designs have been used which reduce the chances of separation due to a transverse force as described above. For example, a mounting clip for mounting a medication infusion pump to a patient is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,317. The mounting clip comprises a belt clip with a pair of pivotally interconnected and spring-loaded legs adapted for mounting onto a belt or other item of clothing worn by a patient. One leg of the belt clip includes a dovetail key for slide-fit reception into a mating dovetail boss formed in the housing of a medication infusion pump. A detent button is carried on the belt clip at the distal end of a spring arm for snap-fit reception into a detent seat formed in the pump housing, to lock the pump onto the belt clip. The spring arm is manually accessible to permit fingertip retraction of the detent button from the seat, and permit easy sliding removal of the pump housing from the belt clip. Thus, the locking device may provide protection against separation by a transverse force applied to the housing of the medication infusion pump.